Blade and razor assembly



May 7, 1968 L. F. PROUTY BLADE AND RAZOR ASSEMBLY 5 Sheets-Shae 1 May 11 FIG. 2

ENrOR LEROY PROUTY F IG. 3

ORNEYs y 1968 F, PROLJTY 3,381,374

BLADE AND RAZOR ASSEMBLY Filed May 11, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 QI f 62 g g FIG. 12

42 44 66 6o INVENTOR LEROY F. PROUTY WWM ATTORNEYS May 7, 1968 L... F. PROUTY BLADE AND RAZOR ASSEMBLY Filed May 1965 IIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII II III/[III],

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INVENTO EROY 'F- PROUTY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,381,374 BLADE AND RAZOR ASSEMBLY Leroy F. Prouty, 4201 Peachtree Place, Alexandria, Va. 22304 Filed May 11, 1965, Ser. No. 454,868 6 Claims. (Cl. 3040.1)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This is a continuous loop razor blade assembly in which the loop forming the blade is sharpened on both edges but by reason of a twisting of the blade, one can apply the blade to a single aperture razor housing. This insures safety to the user and protection to the blade, while at the same time giving the user the benefit of both edges of the blade without disassembly and reassembly. The strip of thin metal comprising the blade itself is formed in accordance with the Mobius principle of geometry, being twisted upon itself 180 degrees and the blade has a series of equally spaced perforations throughout its length which mesh with special gear teeth on sprockets. These are adapted to be used in guiding and positioning the blade as it enters and exits the cutting area aperture. The invention makes use of a thin rectangular strip of metal, sharpened for its full length on both edges. The strip may be of indeterminate length of a common stainless steel double edge safety razor blade. It is much narrower than the ordinary double edge blade but is made into a loop, a single curve or Mobius loop. The twist of 180 degrees has been put into the loop before the ends thereof are joined. But may be made by two half twists, each of 90. One of the advantages to the use of this Mobius principle is that the metal comprising the razor may be bent in all three dimensions at the same time. The phenomenon thus created is such that whereas the strip is a loop per se it has but one cutting surface-one edge-although at any given point therealong it appears to have two edges. It is this precise principle which permits the use of the blade for shaving purposes in a housing in which there is a single aperture or one exposed area.

The advantages achieved hereby are numerous and include longer blade life due to protection; greater safety to the user; the formation of a razor which, without exchange gives the user the equivalent of fourteen separate edges of seven of the present conventional double edged blades, size for size. Its further advantage resides in the fact that the device is self cleaning Where, by shifting of the blade within the housing from one position to another, the blade is automatically cleaned by a built-in scraper system. Additionally, the life of the blade is extended by virtue of the fact that the honed edge thereof is at all times protected, save that small portion thereof which is exposed for shaving.

This invention relates generally to the field of cutlery, and more particularly to the adaptation of a physical phenomenon to comprise a novel cutting blade. This phenomenon is known as the Mobius principle and is here applied to a single curved loop which is suitably housed for adjustment and repositioning before and during use, if required.

A definition of the Mobius (pronounced Moebius) principle is in order and follows herewith. Webster defines a Mobius band or strip as: a one-sided surface formed by holding one end of a rectangle fixed, rotating the opposite end through 180 degrees and then applying it to the first end.

Conventional razors, it is known, require frequent reloading, and do not utilize the fullest capability of the cutting blade. For this reason, one always uses them at less than maximum efficiency and economy. Furthermore,

most conventional safety razors require that the blades be protected and dispensed from a housing or package having no other known value than that the blades be fed into the razor from time to time. This results in the manufacture of a complex package to house the blades and of a costly razor of many parts, and of relative inefficiency all at variance with the high quality which todays modern metallurgical methods make possible, in the manufacture of blades.

This invention is thus particularly applicable, although not limited, to the new, more supple, thinner and sharper, modern type of coated stainless steel blade materials.

The principal objective of this invention resides in the efficient adaptability of the Mobius principle of geometry to shaving razors and the like.

A second object of my invention is to provide a truly safe, safety razor.

Another objective is to make use of the full life and capability of entire blade cutting edge, which is sharpened on both sides for its entire length.

A further objective lies in the elimination in safety razor use of especial blade packaging and disposal.

Another object of my invention is to employ in cutlery, stainless steel or similar blade metals, which are thin, highly honed, coated and supple, so that they may be readily sharpened into a single curved loop Mobius strip, thereby yielding twice the cutting area of a conventional strip of the same length without resetting or reloading.

In general, although the length of the single curved loop is not critical, since a wide variation of lengths may be readily adapted to this blade, I prefer, in its use as a razor, to adopt a single, curved loop or Mobius strip of approximately seven times the length of a conventional razor blade, size for size. As a result, one complete revolution of my blade (actually two circumference distances) shall expose a single edge which is equivalent in this example, to a length equal to that of fourteen separate edges of seven of the present conventional double edged blades, while exposing only the barest essential section of a portion of the complete blade at any one time. Thus, the remainder of the blade not being used, is protected within the razor housing.

The present invention presents another advantage over the prior art in that most conventional razors can be held by ones finger tips only. Many are thus rather heavy, unwieldy for their size, and because of this, dangerous in cutting too deep. They are diflicult to control. My razor is contoured to fit the hand in a comfortable and secure and controllable manner. Itmay be gripped in either hand, and may be held in the fingers, or if preferred, more firmly in the palm of the hand. Its contoured, hand-fitting design, is smooth and symmetrical, thereby providing an evenly balanced razor.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the system as retained in a razor blade housing assembly having top and bottom portions;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the desired Mobius strip, illustrating some of the series of equally spaced perforations centered around a center line of the strip; and illustrating the long single curved edge equal to two circumferences;

FIGURE 2a is a cross-sectional view in perspective of the Mobius strip, taken along the sectional lines 2a of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the bottom portion of the housing shown with the top portion removed; the drawing is taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the housing, taken along the section lines 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view of the assembly taken along the sectional lines 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the bottom portion showing the groove in which the blade lock device moves;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the blade advancing thumb catch assembly;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the blade lock device, per se;

FIGURE 9 is a horizontal sectional View of the bottom portion of the housing illustrating a modified form of this invention;

FIGURE 10 is a cross-sectional view of the modification of FIGURE 9 taken along the sectional lines 1010 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of the blade lock assembly as modified to work in the razor assembly illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 10;

FIGURE 12 is a view in fragment of modification of guide wheel structure shown in FIGURE 3.

In FIGURE 1, the assembly 10 is shown to comprise top portion 12 and bottom portion 14, the blade 50 being retained in position.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, blade 50 is a long narrow strip of thin flexible metal and is joined at its ends after being turned upon itself 180 to form a single curve loop or Mobius strip. Joining can be effected by welding or other suitable means. Because of the geometric configuration of the blade the sharp edge 54 comprises double the circumference of the loop. Hence see 54 indicated twice. Ideally this strip or blade is sharpened before it is formed into the continuous and unique and complete blade having the three dimensional double edged effect. The Mobius strip contains a series of equally spaced perforations 52 throughout its length, engageable with the teeth of corresponding sprockets. These perforations 52 are large relative to the blade 50. In actual practice they will be square and as large as the blade metal, when sharpened, will permit with some reserve for strength and curve uniformity. The purpose herein lies in the fitting of these perforations about the cogs of wheels 16 (FIGURE 3) to guide and control the blade as it enters the cutting edge area with utmost precision, especially with respect to the vertical axis of the blade. If the edge of the gear cog is sufiiciently long, as indicated, it will control the accurate positioning of the blade as it enters the cutting aperture area. The other function is in guiding the blade, both on entering the cutting aperture area and on exiting same so that there is substantially no abrasive rubbing of the blade, per se. These perforations in the blade and the correspondingly sized gear teeth thus assist in the performance of three useful functions: (1) advancing movement of the blade; (2) precision guiding of the blade into and out of the cutting aperture area; (3) protecting the blade during movement against abrasion. With reference to FIGURE 3, and FIGURE 5, it will be noted that the dimension of the cogs of the gears is barely less than the area defined by the respective blade apertures 52 ensuring close fit therein.

The advantages of the Mobius phenomenon are illustrated in several places here. For example, improved rigidity over conventional loops is shown in FIGS. 5 and 10. In FIGS. 2 and 2a, the single curve loop, single edge blade characteristic, which by virtue of the Mobius phenomenon yields the continuous double circumference cutting edge, is shown in FIG. 2a. Obviously different types of a cutting edge 54 may be applied but the phenomenon yields the parallel double edge 54 by one sharpening process. More significantly, this blade, when mounted permits the user to employ an infinite number of revolutions or advancing movements, until all edge portions, side by side and overlapping, have been used.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5, the Mobius strip is rotatably mounted on the plural sprockets 16 and 16 4 and one guide wheel 18. All are free-turning. Guide wheel 18 is shown as a sprocket but this is not essential.

Aligned sprockets .16 and 16' and the guide wheel 18 perform a most important function. For example, these are the only true bearing points of the blade 50, protecting it from wear and friction. The blade is thus positioned with utmost precision between blade seat 20 (FIG. 5) and the blade lock 22 (FIG. 8). Except when the blade lock 22 is tightened against the blade seat, securing thereby the active cuting portion of the blade accurately, the blade makes its full cycle out of contact with 'any other elements of the housing. This excludes the minor design function of the blade advancing elements hereinafter described. As indicated, two major features of this invention are maximum cutting edge utilization by precision disposition, resulting also in careful protection and preservation of the blade. These most important functions are insured by the coaction of the sprockets 16, 16' and guide wheel 18 upon the blade.

My blade 50, after completing what for a natural loop would be two revolutions, may continue to turn for an indefinite number of cycles, without any mechanical turning or reversing of the blade. This feature of the present Mobius strip permits the use of the entire cutting edge, which at any given point on the strip appears to be two edges, as indicated in FIGURE 2a, of the single curve loop, without any manual adjustment of any kind. The apparent switchover from one cuting edge to the other is accomplished automatically and sequentially because of the 180 twist.

FIGURES 1 and 5 illustrate the preferred form for the cover 12 in which it bulges convexly forward slightly at the front to limit exposure of the blade at the point where the cover 12 and bottom portion 14 meet very closely to form a slit 13 which is wide enough to permit the blade 50 to pass between the blade seat 20 and blade lock 22. The blade 50 is preferentially moved in one direction only, so that a small sharp tooth-like scraper 40, located at the foremost part of the bottom portion 14 may scrape and clean the back of that portion of the blade 50 which has been exposed. A similar scraper 42, set oppositely on the cover, cleans the front portion before the blade reenters the housing. (See FIGURES 3 and 9.)

The contours at either end of the cover provide for protection of the user, guarding the skin from being cut by an inadverent slip of the user. In this manner, and since there is no end to the blade, there can be no end cuts to the skin. Thus, the only part of the blade '50 that can cut is that very small part which is exposed specifically for that purpose, as illustrated in FIGURES 1, 5 and 10.

To install, the blade 50 is inserted into the razor housing assembly simply by fitting it as a film around sprockets .16 and 16'. Then, by drawing the blade snug, it may be dropped over the guide wheel 18. I prefer that guide wheel 18 be off center as illustrated in FIGURE 3 to provide more space interiorly for the twist of the blade on one side and to bring the other side of the blade in close proximity with the housing thereby to position the blade for the operation of a blade advancing thumb catch 60, more clearly illustrated in FIGURE 7. As illustrated in FIGURE 3, a tension member 66 attached to base of the bottom portion of the housing over which sprocket 16 is placed, forces the blade 50 towards the housing placing it in accessible relationship with thumb catch as shown.

Although I offer in this presentation a design showing the guide wheel 18 in a vertical position, I have selected this configuration for simplicity in the presentation of the variable pitch feature as shown in FIGURES 9 and 10. This is to standardize the entire set of drawings. I do include in my invention a horizontal guide wheel 18 which permits of certain simplicity in manufacture because it may process the 180 degree turn of the Mobius strip evenly, degrees on each side (input and takeoff),

all other preferred and principal features remaining unchanged. This horizontal guide wheel arrangement is best shown in FIGURE 12.

Thumb catch 60 which may be spring biased, comprises a finger-like portion 62 which when extended fits into the perforations 52 on the blade 50. The top portion of the housing 12, also defines a slit 64 as illustrated in FIGURE 1. When the thumb catch is pressed toward the head of the razor, the finger 62 is withdrawn from one perforation 52 of the blade 50 and advanced to the next. Repetition of this process rotates the blade evenly, The natural slight bending of the blade 50 facilitates the release of the finger 62 each time. This function can be accomplished only when the blade lock 22 has been loosened.

FIGURE 8 illustrates blade lock device 22 which is used to precisely lock blade 50 in place. The blade lock device is comprised of a blade engaging shoulder 26 and arm 30, the end portion of arm 30 being threaded as shown. The blade lock is apertured as at 24. A set screw 32 which contains a bore threaded to fit the threads of arm 30 is threaded onto arm 30 and held in position by fixed guides 34 and 34' which are securely mounted to the side portions of the housing. Appropriate bushings or washers not shown may be used to retain the set screw in its position relative to the guides. Depending upon the direction in which the wheel is turned, the blade lock device will lock the blade 50 either in or out of the shaving position. The blade engaging shoulder 26 of the blade lock 22 is slideably and very accurately mounted in guide 44 as indicated in FIGURE 6. Blade lock 22 moves forward and backward in said grooves as the set screw 32 is rotated. This blade lock 22 serves several purposes. Its front face which is generally convex longitudinally locks the blade securely and accurately into position, when it has been moved forward into position against the blade, securing said blade between the blade lock and the matching concave face of the blade seat 20. Accordingly, the blade is not only clamped in place, but it is bent and supported, with closest support being along the useful cutting edge thereof. I prefer to use the lower edge of the blade lock as a skin-engaging guide so that as the razor slides across the skin, its locus may evenly adjust at a controlled distance between the skin and the edge of the blade. Note FIGURES 5 and in this connection. The small space between the blade engaging shoulder 26 and the guiding edge 28 is cusped inward and perforated at 24 to permit the flow of waste shavings and moisture or lubricant behind the blade.

The blade seat and the blade lock so clamp the blade into position that the blade is slightly declined as in FIGURES 5 and 10. In other words, the blade is preferably not exactly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the razor, but is set to decline inward convexly to the blade lock to provide a better and more functional cutting angle. After use the set screw may be rotated to release the blade from the blade seat, permitting the blade to resume its normally flat shape. Returning the lock to its 'rearmost position, a travel of a very short distance, serves to squeeze out any moisture and lather which may have remained therein after rinsing. When the blade is free to move it may be rotated or advanced by movement of the thumb catch, along the housing slit. I prefer to place small identification lines along the blade for reference purposes. They are not so much to position the blade in any certain place, as to give additional indication of the degree of movement.

The blade seat is also a feature of great precision and is concave to match the convex blade lock giving thereby a blade rigidity which is essential to good cutting. The'seat is shown as a part of the cover.

A modification of the invention heretofore described as illustrated in FIGURES 9-11. The arm portion of the modified blade lock device here extends backwards towards the guide wheel 18 and rests on a collar or rim 19 of the guide wheel 18' just above the blade 50. Guides 34 and 34' will have holes which are oblong in the vertical direction to permit vertical displacement of the arm 30. In this modification of the invention, guide wheel 18' is provided with an internal bore threaded to fit a positioning screw 36 mounted and extending from the bottom portion of the housing. The position of the guide wheel on the screw may be changed by turning the positioning screw 36. Changing the vertical position of the guide wheel on the positioning screw will thus vary the angle of the arm 30 and hence the angular disposition of the blade lock 22. A change in position of the wheel guide will have a sufiicient effect on the angular position of the blade lock because of the fulcrum effect of arm 30. This angular displacement will naturally be transmitted to the blade 50 and vary the angle thereof accordingly.

As illustrated in FIGURE 10, an insert 38 which may be made of Teflon or a similar material, is inserted in a cut-out portion of the blade seat 20 in the modified form of the invention. Insert 38 is secured to the blade seat in such a manner that it will rotate slightly as the angle of the blade lock is varied.

FIGURE 11 shows the blade lock device which is used in this modified form of invention. The front face of the blade lock device 22 is pivotally retained by the sides 23 and 23' so that the blade lock angle maybe varied, as the position of the guide wheel 18 on the positioning screw is changed. Thus, the sides will remain in grooves 44, but the angular position of the blade lock front face may be varied.

The overall appearance of this razor is that of a smooth symmetrical and balanced solid, tapered at the back end as illustrated in FIGURE 1. It is thereby fitted to the hand and operable with equal dexterity with either hand. The housing, comprising fitted lower portion and the top cover portion, may be of several designs, my preference being in one which is secured at the front first, where the cover and the housing are brought together on pro-arranged pressure points on both sides of the front, and then closed from front to rear until they snap or clasp shut over the rear edge. Alternatively, the razor may be made permanently closable upon completion of the assembly, or it may be secured by screw means threaded. into the housing, preferably into the rear wheel guide. As indicated in FIG URES 1 and 5, there are provided indentations in the housing so that the set screw is protected. and does not extend above the top or bottom plane of the housing.

A major advantage of this design is that it lends itself to the use of plastics. I prefer to manufacture the blade lock device from metal, but other parts, especially the housing, may be of plastic. This will provide efficient and relatively cheap molding.

Having described my invention, I hereby claim the following:

1. A razor blade assembly which comprises (A) a housing with a bottom portion and a top portion releasably held together,

(B) a blade comprising a Mobius strip of thin metal with a series of equally spaced perforations through out its length, rotatably mounted on rotating means attached to the lower portion of said housing,

(C) said rotating means comprising two sprockets and a guide wheel around which the Mobius strip rotates, said sprockets having teeth which mesh with the perforations on said Mobius strip,

(D) means to advance said Mobius strip through a slit in said housing to expose a portion of the Mobius strip, said advancing means comprising a spring catch which catches the perforations in said Mobius strip and wherein said top portion of said housing defines a narrow groove through which said spring catch extends, whereby the Mobius strip is advanced as the catch is moved along the length of the groove,

(E) said slit in said housing being defined by the bottom and top portions of said housing,

(F) means to lock said Mobius strip, mounted on said bottom portion which comprises a threaded bar positioned by a wheel, said bar being attached to a blade lock in contact with said Mobius strip to lock it in place adjacent said slit.

2. A razor comprising:

(1) a housing, said housing defining a blade edge aperture and (2) a tensioned Mobius strip blade retained by the housing,

(a) said strip blade being three dimensionally fiexible and sharpened on the entire length of its single curve, where at any given point it shall be sharpened on what appear to be both edges;

(b) a selected portion of said strip blade being in locked shaving relationship to the housing and having an exposed single edge portion thereof adjacent the blade edge aperture;

(c) the remainder of said strip blade being stored by the housing in its tensioned Mobius state as as loop;

(3) a blade lock within the housing, engaging the strip blade,

(4) blade positioning means within the housing at ends of the lock, coacting with the lock; said blade lock and positioning means applying shaving blade tension to the exposed edge portion of said blade, adjacent the blade aperture; and

(4) means for advancing remaining selected portions of the strip blade successively into and out of registry with said housing aperture, whereby used portions of said strip are replaced successively by unused portions thereof for two complete revolutions of the strip blade per se, and thus repeatedly ad infinitum.

3. A razor blade assembly which comprises:

(A) a housing with a bottom portion and a top portion releasably secured together and defining a blade aperture therebetween;

(B) a blade comprising a Mobius strip of thin metal, said strip blade being flexible and sharpened on the full length of its single curve where at any given point it shall be sharpened on what appears to be both edges, said blade being rotatably mounted on rotating means attached to the housing,

(C) means mounted in the housing to advance said blade through the blade aperture slit in said housing to expose a portion of the cutting edge of the Mobius strip blade;

(D) blade lock means attached to said housing engaging a portion of the rear of the blade to lock said blade against the housing in the desired cutting position with respect to the blade aperture;

(E) and blade positioning means adjacent ends of the lock means, coacting therewith to secure the blade during use.

4. The razor blade assembly as described in claim 3, wherein said blade defines a series of equally spaced perforations throughout its length, said perforations being of maximum dimension, consistent with desired blade rigidity and at least half the width of the blade in the transverse dimension (square),

(A) and wherein said advancing means comprises a spring catch which catches the perforations in said blade upon being activated,

(B) and wherein said upper portion of said housing defines a first groove through which said spring catch extends, whereby the blade is advanced as the spring catch is activated and moved along the length of the groove.

5. The razor blade assembly as described in claim 4, wherein said rotating means comprises two sprockets and a guide wheel around which the blade rotates, said sprockets having teeth which mesh with the perforations on said blade, said sprockets being located in the front of said bottom portion, one on each side, and said wheel guide being located in the back of said bottom portion.

6. The razor blade assembly as described in claim 5, wherein said rotating means comprises two sprockets and a guide wheel around which the Mobius strip blade rotates, said sprockets having teeth which mesh with the perforations on said Mobius strip blade to position same, said sprockets being located in the front of said bottom portion, one on each side, and said guide wheel being located in the back of said bottom portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,713,079 5/1929 Hall 3040.l X 2,012,868 8/1935 Eckbo 30-401 2,145,920 2/1939 Davis 30-401 2,160,727 5/1939 Fougner 3040.1 1 2,490,775 12/1949 Borden 30-401 2,572,005 10/1951 Borden 30-401 2,710,445 6/1955 Fitzpatrick 30-40.1 2,795,255 6/1957 Hansen 83661 FOREIGN PATENTS 12,233 5/1911 Great Britain.

MYRON C. KRUSE, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Examiner. 

